As the value and use of information increases, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option is the use of removable cartridge. With the advent of personal computers and workstations, it is often necessary to remove the medium on which computer data is stored. A user may desire to remove a storage medium to carry it to a different site and/or a different computer system. It may also be desirable to remove the storage medium to a secure location when the stored computer data is sensitive, secret, or a back-up copy is needed.
Removable hard disc drives are typically housed in a larger shell or cartridge having isolating materials to protect the disc drive in case of a free fall onto a hard surface. Thus, a cartridge 100 (FIG. 1) may be a ruggedized container that houses a hard disc drive. The cartridge is then connected to a larger computer system or network via a carrier inserted into a desktop or server system. The carrier may also be removable from the desktop or server system on an as needed basis. Either the original carrier is reinserted or a different carrier can be inserted back into the desktop or server. This insertion/removal cycle of the carrier may occur several times throughout the work day.
Each time the chassis is inserted into the desktop or server system, it must be electrically interconnected with the host computer by way of a plurality of interfaces connectors. Currently, a ribbon cable runs from the disc drive to terminate at a disc drive interface connector which must be mechanically coupled to a complementary disc drive interface connector within the carrier. Thus, the repeated connect/disconnect cycles of the chassis as well as the connect/disconnect cycles between the removable hard disc drive and the chassis results in the wearing of parts such as connectors. It is desirable to have a chassis that is able to provide power and data signals from the system to the hard disc drive that is able to withstand wear.